Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/468

* NEUSTADT-ON-THE-HARDT. 416 NEXTTRATITY. NEUSTADT-ON-THE-HARDT, liiirt. A town ill tile Kliiin' I'alaliuatf, Jiavaria, situated in the llarilt Mountains, aljinit 15 miles west- iiortliwest of .Speyer (Jlap: Bavaria, C 4). The alihey ehureli ( l.'i.")U) eontains a iiunilier ol' tombs •of the Counts Palatine. The edueational insti- tutions include a gymnasium, a Kcalschiilc, and a Latin schcxjl founded in 157!). Xeustadt manu- factures cloth, paper, tobacco, etc. In the vicin- ity are extensive vinevards. Population, in 1890, 15.010: in 1900. 17.800. chielly Protestants. NETTSTETTIN, noi'stet-ten'. The capital of a circle in the Province of Ponierania. Prussia. 92 miles southwest of Danzif; (Map: Prussia, G 2). There arc manufactures of iiiadiiiiery, ironware, and dyes. Population, in 1900, 10,020. NEUSTRELITZ, noi-stia'lits. The capital of the (irand Duchy of Mecklenbuifj-Strelitz, (Jermany. situated 02 miles by rail north by west of Berlin (Alap: (Jermany. E 2). 11 is laid out with remarkable rc<;u!arity. its wide, stiai{;lit streets radiatiiii; in eifrht directions from the marketplace, which is adorned with a statue of the Grand Duke (icor<;c. The principal buildings are the grand duc:il palace. situated in a beautiful jiark and containing a fine library of 80.00(1 vol- umes and collections, the theatre, and the Kathaus. There are also a gymnasium, a Real- sriiiite, and a tine hospital. The jirincipal manu- factures are machinery, woolens, triiiimed lumber, doth, vinegar. Hour, etc. The trade is mostly in agricultural (iiddiicts and Hour. Neustrelitz was built in 1720 on the site of an old fiu tress. Popiibitioii, in 1900, 11,344. NEUSTRIA, nus'trl-a (I,at. Fniucia occi- dentalis. West France). The name given in the times of the Merovingians to the western portion of the Frankish Kinpire, in contrast to .ustrasia (q.v.). Later it was used for various icrritorial divisions: in the eleventh century, and later, it was often used as s-nonynious with Normandy. Consult T.ongnon. Alliix hixloriqtie dr lit France (Paris. 18S9). See Franks. NETJTITSCHEIN, noi'tit-shin. A town in the Crownlaiid of Moravia. Austria, on the Titsch, 70 miles northeast of Briinn (Map; .iistria, F 2). It has a By/ant ine cliurr'h and an old ea!>tle. a higher /{riilsiliiilr. and schools of agriculture and forestry. There arc manufac- tures of tobacco, carriages, hats, and cloth. Pop- ulation, in 1000, 11. SOI. chiefly of Ocrman descent. NEUTRAL AXIS ( Lat neutrnlis. from »icm- Irr. iiiiitcr. fmm nr-, not -+- liter, either). An imaginary line of a body which is subjected to a transverse strain, and is so situated as to .'sep- arate the forces of extension from those of eom- jiression. If the ratio of the resistance to exten- sion and compression were the same for all sub- stances, and depended merely upon the form of the body, then in all bodies of the same shape the neutral axis would have a definite geometric pfisition. But this ratio has a separate value for every substance. In a rectangular wooden beam Kupportcil nt both ends, the neutral axis passes longitudinally through the centre of the beam, while in cast iron, in which the resistance to com- ]iression is greater than that to extension, it is n little above the centre, and in wrought iron, in which the contrary is the case, it is a -little below the centre. NEUTRALITY (in International Law). The completi' abstention of a State fiom giving ma- terial aid or eucouragcnicnt to either belligerent in an existing war. Legally a neutral State is a friend to both belligerents and endeavors to maintain peaceful relations with each. The doc- trine of neutrality as now understootl is of com- paratively recent growth, it having had almost no place in the rules of ancient warfare. As a result of the imperfect notions of neutral duty, several grades of neutrality were formerly recog- nized. Thus, the obligation of neutrality might be (jiiiiIifiFtI by a previous agreement with one of the belligerents by which the neutral stipulated to furnish troops or ships of war or other ma- terial upon the outbreak of hostilities. Such a position would be regarded as an act of war ac- cording to modern international law, which recog- nizes only' strict neutrality — that is, total absti- nence from partici])ation in the war either by as- sistance or countenance. The status of permanent iiculridity may be created by the agreenient of a State to obserA'c perpetual neutrality tow;ird cer- tain other States in consideration of having its own neutrality respected, or the neutrality of a State may lie guaranteed by the collective action of other nations. Such is the position of Switzer- land and Belgium. The stjitus of armed neutrality arises from the alliance of several neutral powers for the purpose of maintaining ccTtain views of neutral duty or for preventing the armed aggres- sion of a belligerent upon neutral coiiimcrec. Such were the armed neutralities of the Baltic Powers formed in 1780 (see Armfd Xki tr.vi.itv. The) and 1800 for enforcing the doctrine that "free ships make free goods" which the Powers con- cerned had adopted by treaties among them- selves. It is the usual custom upon the outbreak of war for neutral governments to issue procla- mations of neutrality, announcing the course which they purpose to follow in their intercourse with belligerents during the continuance of hos- tilities, simietimcs giving notice to belligerents of what will be permitted ;ind what forbidden in neutral waters, and formally notifying their own subjects or citizens of the existence of war and warning them of the penaltius imposed for the violation of its neutrality laws. As the doctrine of neutrality is now understood it is the duty of neutrals to treat both belligerents as friends, neither granting nor withholding any ]irivilegc from one which is not granted or withheld ei|iially from the other. Any deviation from this rule which results in an injury to ope of the belligerents is a clear vi(dalion of neutr:il obliga- tions and may be a justification for reprisal on the ]>art of tlie injured iM'lligerent. Among the positive obligations of a neutral may he men- tioned the duty of tr«ating the soldiers of each litdligcrent humanely, as where a ship of war in distress seeks to enter :i neutral pcut or fugitive troops ask for a.sylum from the pursuit of a victorious army, . iong the obligations of a negative eli:ira<ter resting upon neutrals may be mentioned the duty of abstaining from furnisliing money, ships, troops, or munitions to either bel- ligerent. However, it is legitimate for luutrals in their own country to sell to belligerents what- ever they may wish to buy so long as both are treated equally. So. too, they may transport any article of cominerce. except contraband of war, to belligerent ports for the purpo.se of sale unless with the intention of violating a blockade. But